A fresh cheating case has been registered against 'godman' Ashok Kharat after a Pune-based businessman accused him of duping him of around Rs 6 crore on the pretext of helping him start a logistics business abroad, police said on Thursday.
The FIR was lodged at Sarkarwada police station in Nashik on Wednesday based on a complaint by Rajendra Jasood (51), a resident of Hadapsar in Pune. Police said this is the eighth case registered against Kharat so far.
According to the complaint, Jasood came in contact with Kharat in 2018 after being referred by a friend.
He alleged that during a meeting in Nashik in June that year, Kharat told him that an “avatarpuja” was necessary for the success of his proposed business and that he would have to visit multiple countries to “gain energy” before performing the ritual.
Jasood claimed he subsequently sponsored Kharat’s trips to Myanmar in December 2018, Greenland in June-July 2019, and later to the United States, spending about Rs 29.81 lakh on travel and hospital expenses.
He further alleged that Kharat demanded a Mercedes car and financial assistance for building a farmhouse.
As per the FIR, Jasood paid Rs 1.11 crore for construction of the farmhouse between 2019 and 2022, Rs 90 lakh for furniture, Rs 42.5 lakh for kitchen interiors and Rs 29 lakh for teak wood, among other expenses.
In total, Kharat took around Rs 5 crore and a luxury car worth about Rs 90 lakh from him, the complaint stated.
Jasood alleged that when he later realised he had been cheated and sought return of his money and the car, Kharat filed a Rs 5 crore ransom case against him at Wavi police station.
The case has been registered under charges of cheating and relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act.
Kharat (67) was arrested on March 18 after a 35-year-old woman accused him of repeatedly raping her over a period of three years. He is currently in police custody.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by IPS officer Tejaswi Satpute is probing multiple cases against him, including allegations of rape, black magic and human sacrifice.
Officials said the SIT has recovered around 100 objectionable videos linked to Kharat and identified assets worth nearly Rs 1,500 crore.
The Income Tax department is examining financial transactions and property holdings, while cyber police are analysing the videos.
In a related development, two persons from Ahilyanagar were arrested for allegedly circulating obscene videos of women linked to the case on social media platforms, including WhatsApp. Police said further action is underway to trace others involved.
Satpute has appealed to citizens and media organisations not to share or publish any such videos of victims.
Separately, official documents show that the Maharashtra government had sanctioned Rs 1.05 crore in 2018 for development works at a temple linked to Kharat in Sinnar under a regional tourism scheme.
The department was then headed by BJP leader Jaykumar Rawal. Officials said the allocation was part of routine funding and there were no allegations against Kharat at the time.
Searches were conducted by the SIT at Kharat’s office in Nashik on Thursday with the help of a forensic team. Senior officials, including Maharashtra DGP Sadanand Date, are monitoring the investigation.
